Strained movement detection and resetting system



April 26, 1966 R oc u ET AL 3,248,538

STRAINED MOVEMENT DETECTION AND RESETTING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1961 INVENTORS D.R.MC CAULEY AND L.G.MANNELL THEIR ATTORNEY A ril 26, 1966 D. R. M CAULEY ET 3,248,538

STRAINED MOVEMENT DETECTION AND RESETTING SYSTEM 6 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1961 FIG. 3. FIG. 5.

TYPICAL TAPE PRESENTATION INVENTORS D.R.MC CAULEY AND THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice -This invention relates to a strained movement detection system, and, more particularly, pertains to such a system for ensuring proper registration and permanent recordation thereof of strained movements imposed on each railway car of a train moving throughout a defined stretch of track.

In transporting damageable merchandise from a shipping location to a distant location, it is common practice for the freight cars wherein such merchandise is loaded to travel over several different railroad lines. During such travel, the merchandise is often damaged. Because of the inability to determine the railroad line on which the damage occurred, each of the railroad lines on which the car travels must bear a portion of the cost of such damages.

Many instances of such resultant damages can be properly attributedto human failure in train operation as well as to inaccurate procedures of operation. For example, human failure may occur as a train is operated by the engineer through a territory having many small hills and valleys where even a proper operation of such train could cause an excessive strained movement of one or more railway cars, such excessive strained movements being caused by impulsing cars or expulsing cars according to abrupt changes in respective momentums. Further, an improper operation of a train by the engineer could cause excessive strained movements of particular railway cars even while traveling through substantially level territories. As to possible inaccurate procedures, the handling of cars in a classification yard where such cars are allowed to roll freely from the car retarder to one of a number of classification tracks each having other cars standing idle thereon could possibly result in excessive strained movements of abruptly contacting cars. The manner in which merchandise is loaded into railway cars initially could be such as to permit the merchandise to be damaged when such cars are subjected to even normal strained movements.

One attempt to overcome the problem of allocating the responsibility for payment of damaged merchandise is to provide an impact recorder with the individual crates and boxes into which the merchandise is packed and which are carried by the railroad cars. The use of such impact recorders provides an indication of strained movement for the particular crates or box within predetermined limits to which respective railway cars have been subjected. The provision of an individual impacted recorder wfth each such crate or box of merchandise can obviously become rather expensive. Other obvious limitations of the use of individual impact recorders are apparent.

Generally speaking, and without attempting to define the exact nature or scope of the present invention, it is proposed to provide a system for automatically detecting those cars which have been subjected to excessive strained movements with the detection thereof being limited to a defined stretch of track whereon such excessive strained movements occurred. In such system, it is proposed to provide a novel strained movement detector which is locatable on a railway car having damageable merchandise therein for registering the strained movements to which such car is subjected. It is proposed that such strained movement detector be permitted to provide an external communication when registering an excessive 3,248,538 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 strained movement which is employed to actuate a receiving means located fixedly at the wayside. The location of such receiving means is determined to be within a defined stretch of track and at one end thereof for monitoring each railway car having traveled the defined stretch of track. The detector is also constructed to receive a control communicated from the wayside to elfect the operation of such detector to a nonregistering position. It is proposed that wayside apparatus be located immediately prior to the entranceof the defined stretch of track so as to ensure that each strained movement detector enters the defined stretch of track in a nonregistering position.

The novel strained movement detector employed herein to provide an external communication as well as to receive an externally supplied control utilizes a radioactive material and a photovoltaic cell to accomplish, respectively, such functions. The radioactive material is normally shielded in the nonregistering position, but is permitted to emanate nuclear radiation in the registered position for providing the external communication. The receiving means employed at the fixed wayside location and actuatable by such external communication may take the form of a scintillator, the outputs of which are employed to operate a permanent type recording type recording means according to a control circuit arrangement. The photovoltaic cell is exposed in the registered position of the strained movement detector and is adapted to provide an electromotive force in response to a received externally supplied light communication for operating the detector to a nonregistering position.

In view of the above, one object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system wherein a strained move ment detector is employed locatably on a railway car and constructed to register excessive strained movements for providing an external communication and further constructed to receive an externally supplied control communication for operating such detector from a registering position to a nonregistering position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system for selectively communicating a control from a selected wayside location according to the continuing movement of a train adjacent the location.

Another objectof this invention is to provide a system for automatically operating strained movement detectors located individually on railway cars of a passing train and registering excessive strained movements to nonregistering positions by a communicated control as the train passes a selected wayside location.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings, and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the physical arrangement of a track mounted railway car having a strained movement detector located thereon and fixedly located wayside apparatus employed in the embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view partially broken away of the novel strained movement detector employed in this invention;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the strained movement detector shown in FIG. 2 substantially as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the circuit arrangement for the embodiment of this invention; and

.FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a typical tape presentation obtainable when employing the illustrated embodiment of this invention.

To simplify the illustrations and facilitate in the explanation, the various parts and circuits constituting the embodiment of this invention have been shown diagrammatically and in block diagram with certain conventional all of the wiring connections to such terminals. Thus, the I symbols and indicate connection to the opposite terminals of a source of potential for suitably operating various relays and electronic circuits and a symbol for a ground connection indicates a connection to a voltage terminal intermediate that of the (-F) and Referring to the diagrammatic illustration shown in FIG. 1, a freight car 12 is shown to be located on two rails RA and RB. The placement of such freight car 12 is within the track section defined by insulating joints 15, 16, 17 and 18. A track circuit including track relay TR, a battery 20 and a variable resistor 22 operable in the well known manner by the presence and absence of a train including car 12 at least partially within the track section further defines such track section. The defined track section is indicated to be at one end of stretch of track which is defined at either end thereof by switch points 25.

The defined stretch of track is provided in the illustration of FIG. 1 'so as to enable provision of a description which accomplishes the objectives outlined above for the present invention. A train having car 12 included therein may be assumed to be transferring from one railroad line to another railroad line according to the operation of switch points 25 by a suitably controlled switch machine (not shown). The stretch of track defined by switch points 25 at either end thereof may then be considered as one railroad line of a plurality of railroad lines over which the railway car 12 travels in reaching its destination.

A strained movement detector 28 is shown to be disposed on car 12, and, more particularly, located along the lower structure 29 thereof. The illustrated location of detector 28 is only by way of example; such detector 28 may be located otherwise on car 12 as will be discussed more fully hereinafter. Detector 28 includes one window 31 through which nuclear radiation may emanate according to a registered condition of the detector 28 and a window 32 through which an external light communication is supplied from the wayside for operating such detector 28 to a nonregistering position.

Along the wayside and within the bounds 'of the defined track section, a scintillator 34 is suitably positioned at a predetermined elevation according to the height of a pedestal 36 suitably secured in a base portion 37. The scintillator 34 includes a viewing window 39 through which nuclear radiation is received when the detector 28 comes within the line of scan 40 of scintillator 34 and, more particularly, in the area of point 42. With car 12 moving in the direction of arrow 44, detector 28 moves in the direction of dashed lines 46 which intersect the line of scan 40 at the point 42, as indicated. The electrical outputs provided by scintillator 34 are taken through an output cable wire 47.

In order that the electrical outputs taken from scintillator 34 may be properly employed to give an indication representative of respective cars in a moving train, wheel detector WD1 and WD2 are employed and attached to the rail RA by means of respective clamps 51 and 52. These wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 are spaced a distance of 4i approximately nine feet apart along the rail RA and are employed to each provide an electrical output signal for a wheel traveling thereover so as to operate the control circuits illustrated in FIG. 4, as will be discussed hereinafter. For the present, however, it is noted that each of the wheel detectors WD is a track instrument of the type employing a permanent magnet with an associated iron core coil afiixed to rail RA by the clamps 51 and 52, respectively. In operation, as the wheel passes through an inductive coupling relationship made with the coil, there is a distinctive change in the flux which is provided by the permanent magnet and which links with the turns of the coil. As a result, a voltage is induced in the coil and this voltage is applied respectively to the output cable wires 54 and 55 of respective wheel detectors WD1 and WD2.

The novel structure for the strained movement detector employed in this invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring particularly to FIG. 2 a front plan view partially broken away of the detector is shown. A base portion is provided with hollowed out portions for receiving apparatus with a cover 97 being suitably secured to the base portion 95 for covering such apparatus when the detector is secured to lower structure 29 of car 12 by means of bolts 99 and nuts 100 (one of each shown in FIG. 3).

Referring to both FIGS. 2 and 3, the apparatus includes a movable member 102 normally held in a biased position by means of biasing springs 103 in contact with each end of the member 102. Each of the springs 103 is positioned in a channel 104 out into base portion 95 and is variably tensioned according to the positioning of a positioning bolt 105. Each positioning bolt 105 is locked in position when adjusted by a lock nut 106 supported on washer 107. Movable member 102 has two circular recesses 108 and 109 out therein so as to receive a rotatable wheel 110. Wheel 110 is secured by a rivet to a plunger 112 which is operatively controlled by a solenoid 114 when energized. As member 102 is moved longitudinally to the right or to the left, wheel 110 rides on the upper surface 118 of member 102 and is adapted to fall into recess 108 or 109 merely by gravitational pull. Solenoid 114 is held in rigid position by the positioning of a casing 120 in a hollowed out portion of base portion 95.

Movable member 102 is moved longitudinally to the right or to the left according to the forced movement of a cover shield 123 formed at least partially of lead which is rotatably supported on a supporting bolt 126 and spaced from base portion 95 by spacer 127. Cover shield 123 is connected to bolt 126 through the arm member 128 which extends beyond the bolt 126 and is there shaped in the form of a finger 130. Finger 130 is positioned to engage movable member 102 in each of the sides of a V-shaped notch cut into member 102.

The arrangement including cover shield 123, arm 128, finger 130 and bolt 126 serves to provide a pendulum type movement according to the exerted forces of longitudinal strained movements to which the associated railway car is subjected. In either extreme position of cover shield 123 where wheel 110 is in either recess 108 or recess 109, a radioactive material 132 seated in lead shield 133 and a photovoltaic cell 134 each suitably seated in base portion 95 are exposed and viewable through respective windows 31 and 32 cut in cover member 97. It is noted that each of the windows 31 and 32 includes a transparent cover 135.

The photovoltaic cell employed here is preferably made of silicon which when exposed to an intense light source generates a voltage proportional thereto. The generated voltage in response to an intense light suorce causes opposite charges to appear on contacts 137 and 138 to which are connected wires 140 and 141 extending from the solenoid 114. It is proposed that such generated voltage be effective to energize solenoid 114 which energization causes plunger 112 to be magnetically attracted into a hollowed out portion (not shown) formed in solenoid 114.

' locomotive.

The photovoltaic cell 134 is shown here only by way of example and it should be understood that several such cells may be electrically connected in a series-parallel relationship to obtain a greater generated voltage when desired.

The scintillator 34 employed herein has a well known construction vwhich includes, generally speaking, a nuclear radiation sensitive element which is adapted to produce light scintillations in response to incident nuclear radiation and a photomultiplier tube positioned adjacent to the nuclear radiation sensitive element which transforms the light scintillations into an electrical output signal. In general, a scintillator provides a positive-going output signal during normal conditions, i.e., when such scintillator is not subjected to incident nuclear radiation, and provides a negative-going output signal during each instance whenthe scintillator is subjected to incident nuclear radiation. For purposes of description herein, it is assumed that the scintillator 34 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 provides electrical output signals of this generally described character.

It has been mentioned above that wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 are spaced at a location along the rail RA a distance of approximately nine feet apart. This location is preferably near the end of the defined stretch of track as illustrated in FIG. 1 and within the track section defined by insulating joints 15-18. The spacing distance of approximately nine feet between the wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 is especially selected in view of the distances between axles on railway car trucks and axle distances with respect to locomotives for permitting the circuit arrangement diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 to provide a count for each railway car or locomotive passing wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 except the initial With respect to a railway car, it is well known that on two axle trucks the axles are separated a distance of approximately five feet six inches apart. Also, on three axle trucks, the outside axles are separated a distance within the range of seven feet two inches to nine feet. With respect to a locomotive, the distance between axles in a group is in the order of eight feet four inches.

It is noted that the distance between trucks on railway cars and between groups of axles on locomotives is also a distance greater than nine feet. Each of the wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 provides an electrical output signal characteristic of a passing wheel. The occurrence of electrical output signals in this manner permits the circuit arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 to be effective for providing an output signal for each car or locomotive except the initial locomotive passing wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 as .Will be more fully described.

Inasmuch as it is desirable to have a strained movement detection system which is operable for both directions of train travel, certain conditions must be taken into account when placing the scintillator 34 with respect to wheel detectors WD1 and WD2. These conditions include the relative placement of the strained movement detector on the railway car, the time required for a car count to register, and the speed of the moving train.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scintillator 34 is illustrated as being placed substantially midway between wheel detectors WD1 and WD2. With this relative placement of scintillator 34 and wheel detectors WD1 and WD2, the strained movement detector 28 must of necessity be located approximately in the position shown with respect to the nearest wheels 57 and 58. More particularly, the distance between detector 28 and the closest axle for wheel 57 must be sufficient to allow the car count pulse to be produced for the particular car on which the detector 28 is located before such detector 28 passes the scintillator location. Taking into account the above mentioned conditions, the distance between the axle on wheel 57 and the detector location may be in the order of nine feet. Similarly, detector 28 may be located a distance of approximately nine feet from wheel 58 along the lower structure 29 of car 12. It should be understood, however, that this distance of detector location is variable according to the location of the strained movement detection system of this invention, i.e. it may be located at the entrance or exit of a classification yard where train speed is a minimum or some location between classification yards where train speed is a maximum, as well as to the rapidity of car count registration. It will be further appreciated that the detector 28 can be located on railway car 12 along the lower structure 29 substantially in the middle of car 12 provided the distance to each of the Wheels 57 and 58 is in the order of nine feet.

The above description of the relative placements of the detector 28 on a railway car and the scintillator 34 has been given with respect to bidirectional train travel. If if is desired to place the scintillator 34 and wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 along the trackway where trains travel in only one direction, the relative placement of such apparatus is more extensively variable. That is, the detector 28 may be located long lower structure 29 near one end of the car 12 according to train direction while the scintillator 34 may be located outside of the spaced distance of wheel detectors WD1 and WD2. It is only required in this invention that the car count be properly registered prior to monitoring the detector 28.

Adjacent either end of the defined stretch of track near the switch points 25, a light source 60 is fixedly positioned along the trackway and rail'RA. Light source 60 positioned to the left of car 12 is outside of the defined stretch of track while similar light source 60 positioned to the right of car 12 is within the defined stretch of track and at the end thereof. The height of each light source 60 is determined by the height of a pedestal 62 on which source 60 is mounted with the pedestal 62 being stabilized in a base portion 64. Each of the light sources 60 is provided with a lamp (not shown) such as an incandescent lamp which may be selectively illuminated when provided with controlling energy for providing a light beam of sufficient intensity in the direction of dashed lines 66. Such light beam is communicated through a channel member 67 attached to the front of each light source 60 which is indicated to have a sufficient height opening so as to ensoure that light beam 66 is directed into window 32 of detector 28. As car 12 moves in the direction of arrow 44, window 32 assumes the longitudinal positions along dashed lines 6? and meets each-light beam 66 at the points 70 and 71. The controlling energy for energizing the lamp (not shown) within each light source 60 is supplied through a wire cable 72.

In order that each of the light sources 60 provides a beam of light only when a train is moving thereby, a wheel detector WD3 is positioned and attached to rail RA substantially normal to the position of each light source 60 for determiningthe presence of a moving train. Each electrical output signal from each Wheel detector WD3 supplied through wire cable. is employed to ensure that the associated light source 60 provides the beam of light 66 for at least a predetermined interval.

In the embodiment diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4, a digital recorder is employed to register as well as record information representative of railway cars each having a registered strained movement detector located thereon. Generally speaking, the digital recorder 80 includes time control solenoid TCS which is adapted to be intermittently energized according to the operation of a time clock 81 through a front contact 83 which functions to establish the time. A time print solenoid TPS is included and adapted to be energized when a train leaves the track section and for each monitored strained movement detector in a registered position for effecting a time print in, for example, twenty-four hour time. A separate unit including a count solenoid CS adapted to be energized each time a car or locomotive count is registered and a count print solenoid CPS adapted to be controlled for each registered strained movement detector monitored is employed, in addition, to provide desired information.

Generally speaking, printing of the car and locomotive count registrations and time is accomplished through solenoid operated plates which are adapted to force typewriterlike paper and carbon into contact with included printed heads. Upon release of a particular solenoid, an including ratchet mechanism advances the paper or tape one print position in order that the next print cycle may be effective, each of such print cycles requiring a time of operation in the order of one-hundred milliseconds. It is noted that this type of digital recorder may be similar to the model ZDGl manufactured by the Presin Company located in Santa Monica, California.

It is additionally noted that this type of digital recorder includes reset control apparatus which becomes effective in the embodiment of this invention, at a predetermined time after the total car count registration is printed when a train is detected as leaving the track section. The control apparatus for effecting this reset control includes a reset solenoid RS, a motor M, and a cam 85 controlled by the motor M, the operation of these apparatuses being explained in more detail hereinafter.

Before discussing in detail the circuit arrangement of the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 4, it is considered expedient to first consider the typical tape presentation illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, a tape 87 is shown as having two columns of indications which may be identified on a portion 89 of the digital recorder 80 to be the monitoring time MT and the strained movement detection SMD. The indications enclosed in dashed lines 91 represent the entrance of a train into the defined track section by the 000 indication at the time of 0022. Similarly, the indications enclosed in dashed lines 93 indicate the number of railway cars and locomotives within the train as 025 with such train being detected as leaving the defined track section at the time of 0023. Each of the other indications such as the indications enclosed by dashed lines 94 indicate the detection of a car having a registered strained movement detector numbered in sequence from the initial locomotive and the time of detection. More particularly, the sequential number of the car having a registered strained movement detector is indicated as 014 while the time of detection is indicated as 0023.

Description for circuit arrangement FIG. 4

Referring to the circuit arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4, it is noted that the rails RA and RB are illustrated diagrammatically with the track section being defined diagrammatically by the insulating joints 15-18 while further being defined by the track circuit including relay TR, battery 20, and resistor 22. The wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 are illustrated as being disposed adjacent rail RA and spaced apart while the scintillator 34 is illustrated as being located substantially midway between such detectors WD1 and WD2. A light source 60 and a wheel detector WD3 are illustrated as being positioned to the left of the defined stretch of track at the entrance thereof and also at the opposite end of the defined stretch of track just prior to the exit thereof with the stretch of track being defined by illustrated switch points 25.

Each of the light sources 60 is controlled by an input supplied from a power supply 142 and a second input supplied from a time delay 143. The input from power supply 142 functions to energize the lamp (not shown) within light source 60, while the input from time delay 143 functions to remove a shutter (not shown) normally located between the lamp (not shown) and channel member 67. These inputs are provided for a predetermined period of time in accordance with the passage of a wheel over wheel detector WD3. An electrical output signal derived from wheel detector WD3 for each such wheel passage is supplied to an amplifier 146 where it is amplified and then further supplied to time delay 143. Such amplified signal causes time delay 143 to provide an output for rendering power supply 142 efiective for supplying such two inputs to light source 60. Each railway car having a registered strained movement detector located thereon and entering the defined stretch of track over rail RA in the direction of arrow 44 is monitored by light source 60 positioned to the left of the defined stretch of track registered detector 28 coming within the communicating presence of the light beam 66, a voltage is generated to energize solenoid 114, as generally described above. At the exit of the defined stretch of track, a similar light source 60 functions to provide a beam of light 66 for operating registered strained movement detectors to nonregistering positions.

While the train is moving in the defined track section, scintillator 34 monitors each detector 28 moving thereby while wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 provide separate electrical output signals, the combination of which functions to control digital recorder to provide information as typified by the typical tape presentation of FIG. 5.

Each electrical output signal from each of the wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 is supplied to an amplifier where it is amplified and further supplied to a one-shot multivibrator 152. Each of the multivibrators 152 functions to supply output signals therefrom to a reversible counter 154 so as to register each wheel passing detectors WD1 and WD2. The output signals derived from multivibrators 152 functions to cause counter 154 to count in opposite directions. That is, the electrical output signals derived from wheel detector WD1 cause counter 154 to count in one direction such as in a positive direction, while the electrical output signals derived from wheel detector WD2 cause counter 154 to count in the opposite direction such as a negative direction. In this operation of counter 154, it is assumed that such counter 154 has a normal zero count registering position from which counts may be registered either in a positive or negative counting direction and irrespective of the occurrence of electrical output signals derived from detectors WD1 and WD2.

A negative-going output signal is supplied from counter 154 when in a zero count registering position to a first AND gate 156 and a positive-going output signal is supplied from counter 154 when in its zero count registering position to a second AND gate 157. In other particular count registering positions of counter 154, a negativegoing output signal is produced and supplied to a storage counter comprised of capacitors 160 and 161 and diodes 163 and 164. The occurrence of such negative-going output signals from the counter 154 in the particular count registering positions is assumed to be dependent upon the operation of counter 154 by produced electrical output signals representative of particular wheels of adjacent vehicles which may be railway cars and/or locomotives traveling over wheel detectors WD1 and WD2.

From the description provided above with respect to FIG. 1, it Will be recalled that it is required to register a car count prior to the time that scintillator 34 monitors the detector 28. This is accomplished in the present circuit arrangement by permitting the reversible counter 154 to provide a negative-going output signal for each wheel passing either wheel detector WD1 or wheel detector WD2 where storage of all such signals is provided until all wheels for one side of the train comprising the trailing truck on one railway vehicle and the leading truck of a succeeding railway vehicle passes both wheel detectors WD1 and WD2. In this connection, inasmuch as some railway cars have two axle trucks while other railway cars have three axle trucks, four to six wheels in a group may successively pass wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 according to successive railway vehicle coupling. Irrespective of the direction of train travel, the wheels of each group passing the wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 in succession cause the reversible counter 154 to provide a plurality of negative-going output signals.

The reversible counter 154 may be of the type shown and described in the pending application, Ser. No. 110,- 528, filed on May 16, 1961 in the names of H. C. Sibley et al. More particularly, the reversible counter employed in such pending application Ser. No. 110,528 includes a plurality of electronic devices and related circuit elements which are so arranged as to count in a forward or reverse direction in accordance with the application of a positive (-1-) signal. In operating between counting positions of such reversible counter, only the electronic device allotted to a given counting position conducts irrespective of the direction in which the counter is being operated. Although the reversible counter shown in such pending application Ser. No. 110,528 is operated to count from a zero counting position in a forward direction and then in a reverse direction to indicate counts of 1, 2 or 3, it is suggested for the purposes of this invention that additional stages be employed so that the counter may also be operated from a zero counting position initially in a reverse counting direction.

Each of the plurality of negative-going output signals representing a group of wheels passing wheel detectors WD1 and WD2 is supplied to the storage counter including capacitors 160 and 161. More particularly, each such negative-going signal causes capacitor 161 to be charged through diode 164 to ground. At the conclusion of each such negative-going output signal, capacitor 161 is discharged through the series circuit including diode 163 and capacitor 160 until the respective voltages across the capacitors 160 and 161 are equal. This operation is repeated for successively received negative-going output signals for a given group of Wheels passing the wheel detectors WD1 and -WD2 in succession. It is noted that for each successively received negative-going output signal, capacitor 161 is charged less than it is charged for the preceding negative-going signal received. Thus, capacitor 160 is charged in steps with each successive step causing capacitor 160 to be charged a smaller amount.

Reversible counter 154 is operated again to a zero count position when all of the wheels of a given group of wheels have passed wheel detectors WD1 and WD2. In such zero count position, a positive going output signal is supplied from counter 154 to AND gate 157 which permits the charge on capacitor 160 to be supplied to switch 167. Switch 167 may take the form of a blocking-oscillator comprised of a triode type tube and related elements which functions in response to the application of the charge on capacitor 160 to provide a negativegoing output signal. In this respect,-it is suggested that the switch 167 be responsive to a signal level represented by the charge on capacitor 160 as caused by at least four wheels comprising a group passing wheel detectors WD1 and WDZ. According to the discharge of capacitor 160 when connected to switch 167, the negative-going output signal produced by switch 167 is limited in time duration. This negative-going output signal produced by switch 167 is supplied to a one-shot multivibrator 169 which is controlled from a normal operating condition to an opposite operating condition for a period of one-hundred milliseconds. During such operation of multivibrator 169, the negative-going output signal taken therefrom is supplied to the digital recorder 80 and, more particularly, to the count solenoid CS for effecting a count registration represensative of the railway car or locomotive appearing over detectors WD1 and WD2. This operation is repetitive for each railway car or locomotive of the passing train.

After reversible counter 154 is controlled to its zero count registered position where a negative-going output signal is produced and supplied to AND gate 156, the scintillator 34 may be controlled to provide a negativegoing output signal in the manner described above as it monitors a detector 28 located on a passing railway car. Such negative-going output signal produced by scintillator 34- is supplied throughAND gate 156 to a one-shot multivibrator 171 which is controlled from a normal condition to an opposite condition for a period of onehundred milliseconds. During such time, a negativegoing output signal derived therefrom is supplied to one side of the solenoids CPS and TPS in recorder to effect a printing of the car count registration as well as the registered time.

The digital recorder 80 is initially controlled according to the operation of the track circuit when the passing train appears in the track section to provide the indications representative of the train'entrance. More particularly, a negative potential is supplied to a one-shot multivibrator 174 through back contact 175 of track relay TR and through contacts of a time element TE. The multivibrator 174 is controlled from a normal condition to an opposite condition for approximately onehundred milliseconds during which time a negative-going output signal is produced and functions to control the relays CPS and TPS to effect a printing operation. To

permit the multivibrator 174 to return to an originalcondition, the contacts of time element TE will open after a reset control relay RC is energized by a circuit extending from through back contact 178 of relay TR, through the winding of relay RC, to A circuit extending from through back contact 179, relay RC, through a resistor 181 included with time element TE, to normally holds the contacts of the element TB in electrical engagement, while the opening of this circuit causes such contacts to become opened opened after a predetermined time.

The digital recorder 80 is controlled when the passing train is detected as having left the track section so as to be in readiness for the next train entering the track section. When such train leaves the track section, track relay TR is once again energized which causes a oneshot multivibrator 185 to be operated from a normal condition to an opposite condition for a period of onehundred milliseconds as the circuit extending from through front contact 187 of track relay TR, through front contact 188 of relay RC, to the input of multivibrator 185 is completed until relay RC is deenergized according to its indicated slow-release characteristics. During such opposite condition of multivibrator 185, a negativegoing output signal is produced thereby and supplied to recorder 80 and, more particularly, to one side of motor M and one side of reset solenoid RS through a cam controlled contact 190. The motor M is thus energized which causes a cam 85 to be rotated thereby for a period of time suflicient to permit resetting of the count registrations to zero before cam 85 is rotated to the position where it engages contact 190 and interrupts the circuit to solenoid RS. The motor energizing circuit established by the negative-going output signal supplied from multivibrator 185 is interrupted when such multivibrator operates to an original condition, but an additional circuit completed through contact 190 when in an engaged position to permits the control of cam 85 as motor M is maintained energized to the position where 1t is out of engagement with contact 191) and motor M is deenergized.

Having described a strained movement detection system and a strained movement detector employable therewith as specific embodiments of this invention, it is desired to be understood that the forms shown have been selected particularly to facilitate in the disclosure of this invention rather than to limit the number of forms that this invention may assume. It is desired to be further understood that various other modifications, adaptations and alterations may be made to the specific forms shown to meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a system for monitoring railway cars in a passing train each subjectable to excessive strained movements, a strained movement detector locatable on each of said railway cars and operatively controlled by at least one of two conditions of subjected strained movements to provide a distinctive registration thereof, said detector having a member rotatably positioned for rotating at least partially when acted upon by force caused by strained movements of at least a predetermined limit from one position to a second position and a means capable of receiving an externally supplied control communication for causing said rotatable member to be rotatably urged to said one position, and control transmitting means positioned adjacent said track and operative only in the presence of said passing train for providing said external control.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said detector includes means biased relative to said force exerted by said strained movements on said rotatable member and other means positioned to normally follow the movement of said biased means so as to restrain said biased means in said second position.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said biased means includes a longitudinal movable member and variable control means having a plurality of different setting positions for variably restricting the amount of longitudinal movement of said movable member, said rotatable member being rotated between said one position and said second position by different degrees of said force exerted as determined by the particular setting position established for said variable control means.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said longitudinal movable member is movable bidirectionally by said exerted forces, said rotatable member in each of said moved directions of said movable member being in one of two second positions according to the direction of the exerted force acting on said rotatable member.

5. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said rotatable means in said one position is constructed to serve as a cover shield, said reeciving means being a photovoltaic cell capable of providing an electromotive force output when subjected to said external control, said biasing means including a solenoid means operatively connected to said other means and said electromotive force output of said photovoltaic cell for causing said other means to remove its restraining force applied to said biased means for permitting said rotatable member to return to said one position.

6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said control transmitting means includes an energizable lamp 12 means spaced from said track and at a height above said track to provide a transmitting light beam control directed toward said track so as to include each of said detectors located on a railway car as it passes thereby.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein an output producing means is positioned adjacent said track and provided for producing an output distinctive of each Wheel passing thereby, control means responsive to each said output for controlling said control transmitting means and said lamp means to provide said control light beam for at least a predetermined period of time.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said control means is comprised of a power supply for controlling the energization of said lamp means and a time delay circuit responsive to each of said produced outputs for limiting the time that said power supply is rendered efiective to provide said energizing control and permitting said light beam to be transmitted from said control transmitting means.

9. A system for monitoring the occurrence of excessive strained movements imposed on railway cars in a passing train travelling over a defined stretch of track comprising, in combination, means for defining said stretch of track, a plurality of strained movement detectors each distinctively disposed on one of the railway cars in said passing train, each said detector being capable when registering an excessive strained movement to receive an externally supplied control communication and to effect a transmitting signal representative of such registration, transmitting control means positioned prior to the entrance to said defined stretch of track adjacent said means thereat for providing said control communication as said train passes thereby for causing each said detector registering an excessive strained movement to be operated to a nonregistering position, and receiving means positioned within said defined stretch of track at the opposite end thereof for receiving each transmitted signal and providing a distinctive indication for each said detector caused to register an excessive strained movement while said train traveled throughout said defined stretch of track.

No references cited.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES S. SHANK, Examiner.

S. B. GREEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SYSTEM FOR MONITORING RAILWAY CARS IN A PASSING TRAIN EACH SUBJECTABLE TO EXCESSIVE STRAINED MOVEMENTS, A STRAINED MOVEMENT DETECTOR LOCATABLE ON EACH OF SAID RAILWAYS CARS AND OPERATIVELY CONTROLLED BY AT LEAST ONE OF TWO CONDITIONS OF SUBJECTED STRAINED MOVEMENTS TO PROVIDE A DISTINCTIVE REGISTRATION THEREOF, SAID DETECTOR HAVING A MEMBER ROTATABLY POSITIONED FOR ROTATING AT LEAST PARTIALLY WHEN ACTED UPON BY FORCE CAUSED BY STRAINED MOVEMENTS OF AT LEAST A PREDETERMINED LIMIT FROM ONE POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION AND A MEANS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING AN EXTERNALLY SUPPLIED CONTROL COMMUNICATION FOR CAUSING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO BE ROTATABLY URGED TO SAID ONE POSITION, AND CONTROL TRANSMITTING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID TRACK AND OPERATIVE ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID PASSING TRAIN FOR PROVIDING SAID EXTERNAL CONTROL. 